


Creation and Destruction

by Alina_Withane



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Enemies to Friends, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Greek Mythology - Freeform, Hades and Persephone dynamic, Slow Burn, Who’s to say, maybe some smut later?????
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-10
Updated: 2019-07-19
Packaged: 2020-04-23 20:12:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19158148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alina_Withane/pseuds/Alina_Withane
Summary: Chat Noir, God of Death, and Ladybug, Goddess of Life, have always been at each other’s throats. Their polar differences leave little room for friendship or understanding, and they’re more than ok with that.That’s probably why neither of them are too pleased when they both get stuck in Ladybug’s earthly domain together.What happens when they must learn to put aside their differences? What happens when one of them softens? What happens when an unlikely friendship forms?What happens when Death falls in love with Life?ON INDEFINITE HIATUS





	1. Life and Death

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ever story that I’ve taken seriously and I’m so so excited to start this journey with you guys! I’ve had this story idea in my head for years now and I decided to spice it up a bit by applying it to my favorite tv show, just to make it a bit more interesting for the both of us ;)  
> I sincerely hope you enjoy

Death is a natural part of life. And yet, it has always been a source of fear and scary stories for the humans to tell around their fires at night. The sheer horror of knowing that your own days are limited has always had a grip on man, simply because they couldn’t stand to think of a world in which they couldn’t experience anything.

    Death thought it was silly. Being dead was not terrible, in fact you wouldn’t be able to feel anything. You would have no reason to want to be alive because you cannot want anything when you are dead. Why be so afraid of something so inevitable and so peaceful?

    Death, commonly known as Chat Noir, would never understand humans. Why should he? He was the god of death, after all.

    It was Chat Noir’s job to guide the souls of the dead on. This could be the soul of a deer or a bird or a dog or a cat, or a human. The humans were always the loudest but most interesting ones, always asking so many questions about what this all meant, where are they going after this, will it hurt, what about their families, if life was really so cruel, things like that. He pitied the humans’ confusion and fear even if he didn’t get why they were so scared, and he would answer their questions to the best of his abilities. The job may become tiring and exhausting for him at times but the trip was never that for the lost soul he was guiding. He couldn’t afford to be an asshole to them when they were in such a vulnerable state.

    On the other hand though, he couldn’t help but snort when he received the question, “is life really just that cruel?” Because in all honesty, he wasn’t really sure. Was she was purposefully being a lying snake, or did she truly thought she was so kind and true? Chat Noir had met and remembered every single human to ever walk the planet and he would meet and remember every human that would walk the earth in the future. He comforted them after they experienced drownings, hangings, sicknesses, stabbings, falling asleep and waking up at the feet of a pale man with glowing green eyes and dressed in robes of the deepest and darkest black they had ever seen. They had just died, they were _scared_. And Chat comforted them, listened to them and answered them.

    And what did the goddess of life do? She breathed life into them while they formed in their mother’s womb, made millions upon millions of creatures every single day, and expected everything to work out without giving up a single life. She may have been able to get away with it for a while before the humans, but once they became part of the picture, she couldn’t escape the reality of it. Death was necessary, he was needed. Without him, the earth would fall apart. And yet she still saw him as a plague on the world, an abomination that needed to be snuffed out. She was praised as a goddess of fortune and luck and good, while Chat Noir was feared and hated.

    The goddess of life saw the health and sickness, the light and dark, the life and death in the world, she saw _balance_ … and yet she refused to truly see how taking death away would viciously tip the scales. She would claim to be a goddess of happiness and _good_ , and then do _nothing_ for her humans, leaving them to beg Chat Noir for answers when they died however many years later. And he was the bad guy?

_______________________________

    Ladybug was the goddess of life. When she was born, she was cherished by the gods as a beautiful gift upon the world. They were all ecstatic when she grew up to become the creator of the New World, a world in which creatures not unlike the gods would roam. Tiny six-legged insects, beautifully-feathered birds, huge whales, elegant felines of all sizes, powerful horses, and so many more extraordinary creatures. They could move and create and some could even _think_. Ladybug’s creations were adored by her fellow gods and goddesses, and many of the most powerful adopted names that reflected their favorite creatures that she had made, including Ladybug herself of course, choosing her name from the beautiful red and black spotted insect that she would see flying in the wide meadows when she went out to look at the flowers and creatures on the earth.

    And then, Ladybug created man.

    Humanity was possibly her strangest creation yet. She seemed to have made them in the direct image of the gods themselves. The walked, talked, were capable of questioning, they had similar forms as the gods. And they were beautiful. Ladybug loved her humans possibly more than any other species she had made before, and they loved her back. They worshipped her and regarded her as their Mother, while she regarded them as her children and loved them with everything she had in her.

    Eventually, though, the humans grew too numerous. They were so smart, they were able to learn and figure out how to take the seeds and bulbs and tubers they found, plant them, and raise them to maturity in neat rows in order to feed themselves. They learned how to cook their food with fire and how to make warm clothing, they learned how to make governments and hierarchies. Once they settled down in one place and had free time on their hands, their numbers exploded. Even a goddess could not keep track of them all.

    And of course, with her newest creation, came the abomination.

    Death. Le Chat Noir.

    It wasn’t long after Ladybug had created her humans, maybe a couple years after, when she was passing through a lovely forest to see how her creations were doing, the foxes and the squirrels and the little birds who made their homes in the branches above. She was admiring a small purple flower poking out of the grass when a small fawn, a baby deer, caught her eye.

    She was lying there in the grass, her body laying on it’s side in a way that made it appear as if she was running on her side. Her head was held high and her legs were tangled together like she was in mid-gallop.

    Ladybug thought this was quite strange. This fawn was so young, perhaps a week old. And they would usually stay awake and alert while their mother searched for food, laying in the grass and their ears pricked for signs of her coming back.

    “Hello there, little one,” she cooed, standing up and striding over to the baby. “Are you alright?”

    There was no response, not so much as an ear twitch from the baby fawn. Ladybug knelt down, and reached to pet the baby; but she recoiled her hand the moment her fingers made contact with the young fawn.

    The fawn was cold and stiff, as if she was made from wood. It felt so unnatural, so eery, that Ladybug immediately fell backwards with a squeak. She scrambled to her feet, nearly tripping on her red robes and her bright blue eyes wide and greying with shock, her hands pressed against her mouth.

    The baby’s soul was missing from her body. Here she was, an empty shell of a thing…

    What _was_ this?? How did this happen?? Where did the baby’s soul go, who— no, _what_ did this??

    She simply ran, she didn’t know what else to do. She ran away, and didn’t stop running until she’d reached the mountain of the gods, where she vanished into thin air.

    She hadn’t noticed the man who was watching her intently the whole time. She didn’t look back to see him kneel down next to the baby and close her eyes for her, and she didn’t see him stand up to stare off into the distance where she’d vanished, his snake-green eyes peering inquisitively through the trees, his deep black robes and hood blowing gently in the summer breeze.

_________________________________

 

    Ladybug soon came to know whose fault the soulless fawn was.

    It seemed that her creatures had borne a new deity, a god of death.

    He was le Chat Noir, a name the humans soon began calling him. Death was nimble, quiet, and cunning. He could swiftly and silently move through the shadows without being seen, or he could loudly swoop down on his prey as they saw him coming for them, knowing their last moments were at hand. What better creature to name a being like that after than a black cat?

    The gods all accepted him as one of their own. He was powerful, he was a balancing force on the Earth, he was clever. He was even charming, though few dared to say that to Ladybug herself. They knew the angry glares they would receive if they spoke one word about the god of death and destruction to the goddess of life and creation. But still, that didn’t stop Chat Noir from worming his way to the top of the hierarchy of the gods and goddesses, charming them all with that lovely smile and wit of his that made the gods like him and made the goddesses love him.

    But Ladybug knew that dazzling exterior was just a ploy used by a sociopath to gain power. She hated him with every fiber of her being for destroying her precious creations and carrying his holier-than-thou attitude when he spoke of balance for the sake of balance and why she had to take the good with the bad. She knew his words were bullshit. There were other ways of keeping balance in such a beautiful world than tearing families apart and destroying the lives of those incredible creatures. There was no excuse. And he needed to get out of her world. 

    


	2. The earth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are so sweet oh my gosh??? I didn’t expect almost 200 hits in two days, thank you so much!!   
> Unfortunately this chapter may be a bit boring but trust me, chapter 3 is going to be a hell of a ride haha. Hope you can stick around!

Ladybug spent most of her time on earth. She must preferred it to the gods’ realm, where everything was so…  _ perfect.  _ It was beautiful there, yes, with streets of gold and silver, rivers of the purest blue you could imagine, buildings and structures so lovely that you could stand there for months and never tire of the view. The beaches were made of the softest sand you’ve ever felt, the sun the warmest, the breeze the freshest… But that may have been the problem for Ladybug. Everything was just a bit too perfect. 

    On earth, though? Oh, that was a whole different experience. 

    The beaches were often made from rocks that were freezing to the touch, the forests were full of sap and nettled and prickly plants. The wind would often blow too cold, making the goddess shiver and grit her teeth. Sometimes it wouldn’t blow enough, leaving Ladybug sweating and panting under the harsh, beating sun. The waters were cold enough to make you gasp if you touched it, the roads were made of soil and rocks. 

   But Ladybug be damned if she didn’t adore it. She loved her earth so so much. She would often visit the humans, donning their form and walking right into their villages, claiming to be traveling and simply passing through. They were such lovely creatures. They taught her so many things that even the gods never showed her, like baking and sewing. They were such tedious things that she could’ve gotten done with a wave of her hand, but she loved the experience of using her hands to make food and clothing. She even had a knack for the two activities, her dear human friends always greeted her so warmly when she arrived and ask her if she had made any new clothing designs or recipes. 

    Soon enough, Ladybug had started making her own clothes, her favorite of which being a lovely white chiton dress, with beautifully woven sleeves and an expertly crafted skirt with flowers and ivy worked into the fabric. Her raven hair was always tied back in a bun that was laced with even more flora. The combination of colors always made Ladybug’s porcelain skin glow and her bluebell eyes shine. Or, at least, that’s what Alya told her. 

    Alya, a young human woman, was Ladybug’s best friend and the village storyteller. She looked quite different from Ladybug, with darker skin, big hazel eyes that shone like a forest after rainfall, and beautiful garnet hair that reminded Ladybug of a fox. 

    And today, after nearly two weeks of being back in the realm of the gods, she was finally able to return to the world she loved so much. Her responsibilities as the Goddess of Life itself were certainly not small, and so her role in the heavenly hierarchy was larger than she cared for. There were speeches to be made, meetings to be conducted, interrelations to be tended to. 

    And, of course, she had to deal with that  _ thing _ , le Chat Noir. That was her least favorite part of her heavenly duties, having to see that man. How could she be expected to get along with the one that destroyed her beloved creations? 

    It was all so much. But, if that was what Ladybug had to do to keep her role as the creator and goddess of this world, then she was more than happy to get the job done. 

    But today was Ladybug’s day. Today, she got to return home to earth, she got to go and see her creations again, she got to see her best friend, Alya! 

    Alya was a very excitable yet practical person, someone who Ladybug couldn’t help but trust. In fact, Ladybug truste her so much that she’d allowed Alya to know the goddess’s true name. 

    “Marinette! Long time no see, how are you?” She squealed happily in French as she hugged Marinette around the shoulders. She’d seen the goddess a mile away walking down the mountain, and had of course dropped everything to run to her and meet her halfway on the beaten trail. “Where have you been??”

    Marinette happily hugged Alya back, grateful to have had the chance to come back to earth after such an exhausting two weeks. 

    “There were matters to be tended to, but it’s of little importance. I’m just glad to finally be back. How are you, Alya?” 

   The two women let go of each other, but still affectionately presses their hands together. 

    “I’m doing amazing, Marinette, look at what Nino gave me!” She gestured grandly to her beautiful gown, a stunning work of art that seemed to have gold laced into the fabric. It had three skirts, the first one stopping st her ankles, the second at her knees and the third at her mid-thigh. There was a sash that draped over her shoulder and fell down her right arm, making Alya look fit to be royalty. 

    Nino was Alya’s suitor, a handsome young musician who had taken a liking to Alya about six months ago. Marinette loved seeing her dearest friend so happy, she knew how much Alya loved Nino and Marinette genuinely liked Nino. He had a kind and adventurous spirit that was definitely worthy of Marinette’s best friend. 

    “Alya, This dress is absolutely stunning! How on earth did he afford something like this?” Marinette gasped, touching the fabric. It looked as though it were practically dripping in gold. 

    “Oh I’ve pried, believe me. He refuses to tell me what he paid for this, I have no idea.” 

    They jabbered away happily in rapid French as they walked down the trail to Alya’s village, pausing only to allow Alya to wave and blow a kiss to Nino, who was sitting outside his home and playing music for a small group of the village children. He grinned and waved back at her, blushing unashamedly. Marinette had to admit, they were very cute together. 

________________________________

 

    Chat Noir, though welcome completely in the gods’ realm, preferred earth. He never missed an opportunity to slip away to the human world to observe and watch the animals and humans, often spending days or even weeks there without returning to the gods. 

    Many would call him crazy. Chat Noir was greatly admired in the god’s realm. The men all liked and respected him, the women all loved him and wanted him. (Except for Ladybug, of course; but it wasn’t too much of a blow to his ego. He admired her work but he couldn’t say he liked her as a goddess very much)

    Though maybe that was the issue. In the realm of the gods, he felt superficial. He was admired because of his power, his good looks, his influence. But very rarely did they really want to talk or get to know him. Perhaps he was being silly or childish, but he wanted someone to talk to that didn’t only want to take advantage of the fact that he was powerful. He wanted a friend. 

    At the moment, Chat Noir was on his way to take the soul of an elderly cat. He sincerely hoped he wouldn’t end up running into Ladybug… that woman was insufferable. 

    It wasn’t that he didn’t understand where she was coming from, he saw the beauty of the life she created. He saw the tragedy of people being taken from their families. He saw it, he really did. But he knew that something had to die in order for something else to live. If he wasn’t there to keep the balance in check, the world would become overrun with humans and animals and insects of all kinds. Food would be scarce, space would get far too cramped. No one would have room to move. Bad people would never be able to be left behind in history. Those that suffer would have to endure eternity with their pain. 

    And then they would really want to die. 

    Perhaps Chat Noir ignored momentary compassion, but he made sure the compassion he had would grant lasting effects. That was his role in the world. He may not like it but it was needed. 

    Even if it seemed like he hated Ladybug and she certainly hated him, he hoped that they would someday be able to put their differences aside and recognize that, at the end of the day, they both wanted what was best for the earth and the humans. 


	3. At Wit’s End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys have given me over 300 hits in three days. What the heck. You guys are so amazing, thank you so much!!  
> Y’all are so sweet omg

*237 years ago*

    Chat Noir really liked earth’s forests. They were so tranquil, with the sound of a flowing river in the distance and swaying leaves overhead, the smell of earth and tree bark from every direction, the mix of so many natural colors… it was truly a treat. He wore a black, knee-length toga and a light hooded cloak today (to hide his face from any potential onlookers), so he was able to enjoy the feeling of the wind brushing the skin of his legs and arms, as well as the left side of his chest that wasn’t covered by his clothes. 

    Chat Noir enjoyed coming to this particular forest to explore, in this particular place. It was next to a large, rushing river, a huge rock about a dozen yards from the riverbank. A long, wide trail was not far away, beaten after years of being walked on by humans and their livestock animals. 

    Chat Noir had come here to be by himself and think. He had only become a god about fifty years ago, so he was still extremely young compared to his fellow gods and goddesses. He still had the youthful appearance of a human around 19 or 20 years of age, the form he’d had since his ‘birth.’ 

    Several of his elder gods and told him that, in order to mature himself, he must be alone most of the time. This was to ensure he had little else to do than to think; about his job, his role among the heavenlies. About himself, about morals, about right and wrong, about why his job was necessary. About everything. It was customary, you see, for heavenlies to be told to be alone most of the time during the first 100 years or so of their existence. They couldn’t afford to have immature gods running around, that would simply cause havoc. And so that’s what he was doing, walking by himself along the trail as he listened to the breeze shake the leaves above him, the birds singing and the river powerfully rushing through the mountain valley. 

    But apparently, he was not going to get the luxury of being alone on his walk today. He sensed her before he heard her. 

    “So,” said a cool female voice behind him, making him pause in his tracks. “You’re the one who’s been killing my creations.” 

_ Oh boy _ . 

    The god of death turned to face the goddess of life, a forced but clean smile on his face as he looked up at her from underneath his hood. 

    He couldn’t deny that Ladybug was a very beautiful woman indeed. Though she was nearing 70, she had the face of a 20 year old human woman. Her hair was as black as a raven’s feathers, her eyes looked as though they contained the sky itself. Her porcelain skin looked practically flawless, with freckles dotted across her nose and on her shoulders. Chat Noir assumed she had a beautiful smile, though he couldn’t say for sure. He’d never seen her smile. 

    “You know, ‘killing’ is a strong word, my Lady,” he said, bowing down in a way that would have been considered respectful if it hadn’t been for the slight smirk he wore. “I prefer the term 'guiding on,’ you know? Sounds way nicer, doesn’t freak them out so much…”

    Though he had bowed to the goddess, Ladybug remained firm in her stance. Her feet were planted on the ground in a defensive stance, her arms were crossed, and her head was held high as she studied him with a look of distaste. 

    He was quite tall, about a head more than her. His knee-length toga made him look immature and teenager-ish, but his hooded cloak and eyes more than made up for that. The hood shadowed over his face, making there appear to be a mask over his nose and eyes. And his eyes… they made Ladybug shiver with discomfort, but she didn’t let him see that. His eyes were a luminous viper-green, with catlike slits for pupils that seemed to stare right through her, as if he was just waiting for the perfect moment to plunge his hand into her chest and steal her soul. 

    Chat Noir stood back upright. “Now, to what do I owe the pleasure?” 

    Ladybug’s glare hardened. ‘I’ve told you again and again to leave this place. I want you to get off my world and leave my creations alone.” 

    The god of death smiled gently, closing his eyes and shaking his head. “No can do, Princess. I’ve got a job to do.”

    “You don’t ‘got to do’ anything,” Ladybug said fiercely, letting her fists to her sides. “Your whole ‘job’ is a plague on this world. You don’t  _ need  _ to kill my creations, you’re just a sociopath on a power trip who’s tricking himself into believing whatever the hell you’re doing is ok. Now, I’m going to say this one last time.” She took a single dangerous step towards Chat Noir with every word; “Get. The hell. Off of. My world.” 

    She was maybe two feet from him now, and he could see her beautiful eyes blazing with restrained anger. The young god had to admit, Ladybug could probably kick his ass if she got angry enough. It would probably be a smart idea to leave her to her thoughts soon…

    But her words made him chuckle.

    “It’s not my fault that you don’t know how to make hard decisions here,” he crooned, leaning forward and smiling right in her face, his eyes narrowing. “I’m just looking out for them. Pardon me for having to step in to do your job for you.” 

    Ladybug’s face contorted with fury. “You’re an abomination,” she hissed, stepping forward once more and jabbing a finger in Chat Noir’s chest, making him raise his eyebrows at her. “You shouldn’t even exist.” 

    A devilish grin crept across the god’s face, and his eerie stare grew in intensity. “Considering you’re the reason that I do, I don’t think you have any room to criticize me, Princess.” 

    He’d struck a nerve. 

    Ladybug’s eyes suddenly burst with a great, pure white light and she brought her arm back, flames roaring to life in the palm of her hand. 

_ Aw shit- _ Chat Noir jumped back, barely avoiding getting his face burned off by one hell of an angry goddess. He figured now might be a good time to go. 

    He’d fallen backward onto the ground. Ladybug tried to throw another handful of flames at him, but the moment before it made contact with his chest, he vanished as though made of shadow. 

    “Now, I’d love to stay and chat, Princess,” said a cocky voice from above Ladybug’s head. She looked up to find him lying lazily across a huge tree branch, his arms resting behind his head and one leg dangling off the branch. “But I’ve got places to be. He looked down at her with a smirk and winked at her before melting into the shadows of the leaves. 

    Ladybug screamed with rage and threw a handful of fire at the spot where Chat Noir disappeared, setting the tree ablaze. 

    Rather than burning, delicate green moss and tiny white flowers grew wherever the flames licked on the bark. 

________________________

 

    Chat Noir regretted how he’d acted towards Ladybug all those years ago. He had been a stupid kid, he didn’t realize he was being wrongly arrogant. He didn’t realize the importance of keeping civil relationships with others and he didn’t realize that, even if he felt Ladybug’s views were wrong, she had every right to hate that her creations were being taken away. She was justified. 

      Chat Noir knew she still remembered that day 237 years ago. He sincerely  hoped that someday, though, he and Ladybug could start fresh.

     He just hadn't expected it to be so soon. 


	4. The Boy, the Fox and the Lady

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is the longest one I’ve written so far for this story, and I’m so sorry for being a day late. I was baptized yesterday (I love me some Jesus) and my Mom had a celebration planned at my childhood home for me that’s didn’t end until about eight at night, so I had absolutely no time to finish the chapter!  
> Anyways though, thank you all for the kind comments, please continue to comment! It means the world to me, and please enjoy the fourth chapter of Creation and Destruction! Hey

Le Chat Noir, regardless of his interactions with Ladybug 237 years ago, was now a much more quiet-spoken and reserved god. He was far more polite as of now and took pride in his ability to present himself as such and show respect to anyone, including those he didn’t particularly like. 

    He may not have been fond of the earth’s main goddess, but he did have a tremendous amount of respect for her. He had to, didn’t he? She may get in the way of his job at times, but she had good reason to. She loved the creatures that Chat Noir was taking away. He understood why she would despise him. She was justified in doing so, he stood in the way of everything she valued. 

    Her passion and strength was what earned his respect, in fact he greatly admired her for those reasons. 

    Perhaps that slight fascination with her is what caused him to do what he did today.

________________________________

 

*Earlier that day*

    Chat Noir stood in the corner of a small cottage bedroom, gazing sadly at the scene before him. 

    A young boy, aged 9 years, nine months and twenty-seven days, was lying on a bed, his face pale and his forehead beaded with sweat. His chest was rising and falling way too slowly, and each breath sounded like there was gravel in his lungs. His family surrounded him; his mother lay on the bed next to him, sobbing and stroking the child’s unbrushed brown hair. His father knelt beside the bed, grasping his son’s hand in both of his own and bowing his head so as not to let his family see his tears falling onto the bed. The boy’s siblings, two boys and a girl, were also gathered around their dying brother, their heads bowed. 

    There was no sound besides a momentarily audible sob or sniff from someone in the room. It was as silent as the grave. 

    Chat Noir was supposed to have guided the child on by now, but just as he was about to step forward out of the shadowed corner, the mother began to sing. 

    Chat Noir paused, his heart aching.  _ This was the worst part of his job.  _

__ Perhaps just… one last song. One last song from his mother before it was his time. 

    The mother’s song was soft, praising the willow tree’s wisdom and the potential of streams that could one day flow into rivers. Her voice, while choked and rough with grief, was beautifully imperfect and melancholy. 

    Chat Noir suspected that this song was usually a cheerful one, one that would be sung while gardening or teaching a young child to knead bread dough or gather berries from the woods. 

    But now, it sounded achingly bittersweet, calling back memories of a boy who would soon be gone. 

    The mother’s song eventually ended, far too soon for the god’s liking. He saw her blink away tears as she kissed her son’s forehead. 

    Chat Noir sighed.  _ This was the worst part of his job.  _ He stepped out of the shadowed corner, pulling his hood down farther over his eyes. 

    The boy was in pain right now. His lungs felt like there were holes in them, his muscles felt broken, his blood was like sludge in his veins. His fever seemed to be freezing and burning him all at once.

_ But the pain would be over soon.  _

    Chat Noir glided over to the child, kneeling at the bedside next to the boy’s father, who was crying silently. He lifted his hand. 

    “It’ll be alright soon, Little One,” he murmured, lying his hand across the boy’s forehead.

    The boy gave one last rattling breath, and was still. Chat Noir bent forward to pick the boy up, putting one arm around his shoulders and the other under his knees. But, when Chat Noir stood up, the boy’s body was left behind and a transparent version of the boy, his soul, was lifted into Chat Noir’s arms. 

    Chat Noir turned, flinching when he heard a hysterical wail from the boy’s mother as she realized her son had stopped breathing. He shut his eyes as though to block out the sound, and walked out the door carrying the young boy, leaving the screams of grief behind him. 

________________________________

 

    When Chat Noir had left the home, he made his way underneath a willow tree not at all far from the cottage. He’d adjusted his hold on the boy from a bridal carry to the way a parent may hold a toddler, the boy’s head laying on the god’s shoulder and his nonexistent ‘weight’ being supported by Chat Noir’s forearms underneath his seat. He appeared to be asleep.

    When the two reached the willow tree, Chat Noir looked up at the giant tree. This would be a fine place to have one final look at the world. 

    He wondered if bittersweet was even the right word for this? 

    The god signed heavily, and reached one hand up to the boy’s head, ruffling his hair. 

    “It’s time to wake up, kiddo,” he said, kneeling down to set the boy against the tree’s trunk. The young child was wide awake and staring up at the god of death with eyes the size of dinner plates before Chat Noir had even finished putting him down. 

    “Do you feel better?” Chat Noir asked, gently cocking his head to the left and smiling kindly st the boy. 

    The young child nodded slowly, still gaping up at the god. 

    “Are you le Chat Noir?” He asked bluntly. Chat Noir smiled. Children were somehow always less scared when they came face to face with the god of death than most adults were. Perhaps it was because they had less to fear leaving behind, or just their innate curiosity? 

    Chat Noir modded. “Yeah, I am, bud,” he grunted as he sat down against the trunk of the willow tree, right next to the young boy. “Do you know what that means?” 

    The boy frowned slightly. “Mama said that, that you… Mama said that you’ll visit people if they gotta leave, when it’s their time to go— to go away to Heaven.” He looked up at the sunlight shining through the swaying, emerald green leaves of the willow tree. The only sound around them was the gentle rustling of the warm summer breeze passing through the trees, and the birds flying and chirping above them. Peaceful. 

    “Is it my— it my time to go away now?” The boy inquired. Chat Noir exhaled lazily through his nose, looking up at the suns binging through the leaves as well. 

    “Yeah. Yeah, it is, bud.” 

    The boy looked down thoughtfully. “Where am I gonna be going?”

    The god of death tightened his jaw. He may have been the reaper of souls, but even he somehow did not know the answer to that question.     

    “Somewhere safe,” he decided, leaning his head back against the trunk and closing his eyes. “You won’t get sick anymore, you won’t get hurt and no one will be mean. You’ll like it, buddy.” 

    The boy stared at his family’s home, his gaze growing concerned. “Will Mama and Papa be ok?” 

    Chat Noir paused. “Not at first,” he admitted. “They love you very much, and they are going to miss you. But they will have their visit with me one day. Then they’ll be with you again.” 

    “Oh.” The boy looked back up at the god curiously, still with a hint of concern. “Will it… will it take a long time?”

    “For them to see you?” 

    The boy nodded. 

    Chat Noir shook his head. “Not for you,” he said. “It won’t be that long. It’ll be-” he snapped his fingers, -“like that. For them it may take a while, though.”

    The boy furrowed his eyebrows. “How does that work?” 

    Chat Noir shrugged. “No one knows,” he said. 

    There was a long and empty silence as they both stared up at the leaves of the willow tree. 

    “Mister, can we please, um.... can we please sit here for a little bit?” The boy asked, laying his hand on the grass and taking a deep breath. “I like this place.” 

    The god of death nodded, looking out over the rolling hills and trees around them. “Yeah.”

    The god of death and the young dead boy’s soul sat against the willow tree for as long as the child liked. 

    They sat and they listened. They heard the gentle rustling and swaying of the willow’s flowing leaves above and around them, the sound of a river rushing far off in the distance, the gentle gurgle of a creek nearby. The birds overhead were singing and chirping, cicadas joining in not long after the child had requested to remain for a while. 

    They sat and they gazed around them. The sky overhead was bright and blue, and sunlight dripping down the willow’s leaves and draped vine branches. An occasional butterfly would flit across the meadow, a young starling would fly down to rest on a wooden fence. Chat Noir noticed a small glimmer of the creek amongst the trees to the right of the house, sparkling in the sunlight. He knew that if he simply walked over and dipped his hand in the flowing water, it would be a pleasant chill in the nearly hot weather. He didn’t know why, but the thought made his heart ache. 

    They sat and they felt the untamed soft grass beneath them, cool and welcoming in the summer heat. They smelled the bark and needles of fir trees and a variety of flowers around them that Ladybug would have been able to easily name. After a while, the two heard happy chattering and laughing, and looked round to see a group of older children playing a sort of catching game down next to the edge of the woods. Chat Noir’s heart dropped a bit, knowing this boy he was sitting next to would never get to experience this again, and would never get to experience growing up to play any games with other children. He hoped the boy wasn’t thinking the same thing. 

    After a quarter of an hour, the boy sighed and turned to Chat Noir. 

   “I have to go?” 

    The god nodded. “I’m sorry, Little one,” he said, closing his eyes and shaking his head the smallest bit. “Everyone has their time. Yours came a bit earlier than I would have liked, but… it’s not my choice.” He pointed up at the sky. “It was the fates’ decision. But remember, you’ll be able to see your family again soon. Your mama, your papa, your brothers and sister.”

    “My dog had to leave a long time ago, will I see her?”

    Chat Noir smiled, ruffling the boy’s hair again. “You’ll see your dog once you come with me, don’t worry.” 

    The boy was silent for a moment, as though thinking something through, then turned his body to face the god. 

    “Ok, I’m ready,” he said, apparently fueled by the news that he would soon get to see his late dog. 

    Chat Noir chuckled and nodded, turning to face the boy as well. “Alright then,” he said. “We gotta stand up, then.” 

    The two both stood up, Chat Noir towering about three feet over the boy. They faced each other. 

    “You ready to see your dog?” Chat Noir asked, and the boy nodded vigorously, a small smile appearing on his face. “Perfect.”

    He knelt down on his knees so that he was about eye level with the child, then raised his hand to the boy’s face. “Say hi to her for me,” he said gently. 

    “I will.” 

    The god of death brushed his fingers down over the boy’s eyelids, and the child fell completely silent, sliding to the ground. Chat Noir went to catch him, but the boy’s soul had disappeared before he could touch him. 

    Chat Noir collapsed against the tree, one hand on his face as he felt a rare, single tear fall down his cheek. 

_______________________________

 

    That boy was not unlike the millions of other humans that Chat Noir had guided on, yet his death in particular had somehow managed to fill the god with a slight sense of hopelessness that he needed gone. 

    And so, he decided to take his mind off of today’s events by heading west, to the coast. 

    He had been invited to distract himself in the realm of the gods, but he politely declined. He rarely spent any time there anymore, he’d made his home on earth (much to Ladybug’s distaste.). He often preferred being alone. Being the god of death, he couldn’t bring himself to care about which mortal a god had fallen in love with this time, what gods were rumored to be having affairs, which regions each god wanted to own most. He never bothered himself with it. 

    The coast of the particular land he was in was a beautiful one; it was lush and green, blanketed in heavy, bright green forests of European beech, ash and fir. A deep blue ocean crashed onto a sandy white beach that was dotted with brightly colored pebbles, rocks, and shells. Chat Noir had only traveled here a few times before, since very few animals seemed to die here. He didn’t know why so few creatures passed away in such a habitable environment that was surely crawling with wildlife, but he’d never looked much into it. Perhaps the creatures left the forest to die so as not to taint its beauty with their own deaths.

    Chat Noir travelled from tree to tree, slipping from branch to branch through the shadows of the leaves above. He’d melt into one tree in a split second, then appear just as quickly on the next tree he laid his eyes on. It may not have been the quickest way to travel long distances, but Chat Noir be damned if it wasn’t the most enjoyable thing in the world.

    He flew from tree to tree, a shot of adrenaline pumping through him each time he felt himself accidentally miss and fall from a branch, only to allow himself to vanish into the darkened brush and then reappear back in the canopy, grinning and laughing breathlessly. He even felt the urge to pull his hood off so that he could feel the wind in his hair, but of course, he couldn’t afford to allow a mortal to see his full face. 

    He could hear the powerful waves of the ocean before he saw them, but wow did the actual sight blow him away. 

    Chat Noir didn’t like sand getting in his sandals, but he loved watching the ocean, so he explored in the trees a bit more along the forest’s edge to find a place to settle down on to watch the water. The god chose a large boulder on the very edge of the forest, jumping down from his perch in the canopy to settle down on the large stone and breathe in the fresh air. The smell of the trees and bark mixed wonderfully with the ocean’s pleasantly salty one, making Chat Noir almost dizzy with pure contentment when he closed his eyes to meditate, still sat upon the stone.

    He couldn’t have been there for more that a half hour before Chat Noir sensed a dying animal not far from him. He groaned.

_ Are you kidding me? Nothing ever dies here, why now?? _

__ Chat Noir grunted as he stood up, stretched his arms and legs against a tree that grew alongside the boulder, and took off towards the dying animal. He hoped whatever it was wasn’t in pain, those were his least favorite jobs. 

    Chat Noir arrived in a clearing, his senses rushing over him and telling him the dying animal was here… but where was it? 

    Chat Noir started when he heard a scratchy cry a few meters away from him. He turned to see, hidden in the crevice of two large trees, a tiny baby fox.  _ Oh no.  _

    He carefully took a few steps towards the baby, observing what could be wrong with the poor thing. The fox stared at him, but seemed to be too weak to growl at him or run.

    He noticed it was deathly thin, far too thin for a baby this young, it couldn’t have been more than a month old. Its fur looked matted and dirty, and Chat Noir’s heart sank as he realized the baby seemed to be covered in cuts and scrapes. Did an eagle drop him? What happened? 

    The poor thing was obviously suffering immensely, both from his wounds and potentially starvation. Chat Noir began to step towards the little fox,  _ just one touch will take away the pain… _

__ The god of death suddenly jumped a foot in the air. The sound of a branch snapping had just shot through the forest, and it was close. A sudden sense of fear overcame him, his instincts screaming at him to get away. She was here. 

_ Footsteps _ . 

    “Who’s there?” A woman’s voice called from the trees.

    Chat Noir looked around wildly for the source of the noise and saw her—

    The goddess of life was only a hundred feet away from him and was walking towards him, though she didn’t seem to be looking at him. And he wanted it to stay that way. 

_ Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit— _

    He wasn’t going to be able to touch the fox in time. He had to leave, he’d grab the baby fox the moment she left. He couldn’t just leave him to suffer, but… 

    She was about to come into the clearing. He needed to leave. 

    “I’m so sorry,” he whispered under his breath to the baby fox, ducking into a tree and disappearing in the shadows. 

    Chat Noir reappeared about fifteen feet above the ground in the book of a huge tree, right above the baby fox. His heart was hammering so hard in his chest that he wondered if Ladybug would be able to hear it if she got too close to his tree. He knew she wouldn’t kill him or anything, it was unlikely that she would even lay a finger on him. But as the god of death, confrontation with the goddess of life was not a pleasant thought. This woman was not one to be messed with. 

    He watched the goddess make her way through the clearing, and she paused. Terrified that she’d senses his presence, Chat Noir stood as still as a statue. 

    The dying baby fox let out another pained, scared cry. Its throat sounded scratchy and dry, the poor baby. 

    Ladybug whipped around, clearly looking for the sound, and paused when she saw the baby. 

    “Oh gosh-“ she murmured, hurrying over and kneeling down next to the fox. The little baby stared up at her, suddenly appearing to relax. “There we are,” she cooed, teaching out to touch the baby on the top of the head. It leaned into her touch, but collapsed it’s head to the ground. It was so weak and exhausted. 

    “You’re hungry,” she breathed. “Here, let’s… ok…” 

    Chat Noir looked down from his perch, watching as she took her cloak from her shoulders, leaving her chiton, and placing it over the baby fox. She placed her hand on either side of the baby fox and scooped him up, tugging him close to her chest and wrapping her arms around him. She used one hand to conjure up a small jug, which she held to the mouth of the baby. The young fox sniffed a small bit at what Chat Noir assumed to be milk, took a couple licks, then collapsed again against Ladybug’s chest.

    “There there, Little One,” she coaxed, rocking her body back and forth. “You’re going to be alright.” She then turned and walked away with the baby fox.

    Chat Noir blinked. What in the world were the chances that he would run into the goddess of life unexpectedly when they both made a habit of traveling all over the earth every day? There were 57,308,738 square miles of land on the earth, and they just happened to run into each other here? 

    The god was beyond lucky to have escaped being seen by Ladybug, and now was his time to leave this area and head somewhere else. He couldn’t afford to risk being seen again by her, and the fox was clearly in the best hands it could possibly be in…

    So why the hell did a little voice in head head tell him to follow her? Why did that little voice encourage him to see where the goddess went and where she took the fox? And why did he follow this little voice when everything else in him was screaming at him to run? 

    Chat Noir stared after the goddess as she walked through the trees, and slipped into the shadows once more.

    Ladybug heard nothing but the birds and cicadas singing and chirping in the greenery around her. She didn’t notice the god of death vanishing and taking shape again in the trees above her, following her with more and more ease as the evening darkened. 


	5. (Not a chapter) Author’s note

Hey guys, I’m so so sorry that I haven’t been able to get around to publishing another chapter for a while. A family emergency came up and I’m currently 1,707 miles away from home and will be for the next month while I’m taking care of a relative who’s trying to recover from Leukemia and a stem cell transplant, so my time is pretty much taken up. I have been writing in my free time though and hope to get at least 2 chapters up while I am here. If I am not able to, I hope you all understand :)  
Thank you guys so much for your support!

\- Ksenia


	6. Not a chapter

Back from the hospital, thank you guys for the well wishes :)   
I’ll be back on a writing schedule, I’d like to update every other Sunday at the very least! Thank you all for your patience, you can expect a new chapter very soon, likely within the next couple days!   
Thank you and God bless  
-Ksenia


	7. Life's not fair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> thank you all for being so patient, I know it’s been a long time since I last updated! Your support had meant everything and it really comforted me in the hospital, thank you for your well wishes :)  
> I’d also like to add that this story had been one I’ve wanted to write for a long long time but never have had the motivation to write. Due to a learning disability and a couple of other issues, I find it incredibly difficult to focus on certain things or get projects done if they do not involve the handful of things I am obsessed with. So, I am using my two favorite characters to help me reach my goals here. This story is honestly just me trying to lay everything out and get my ideas on paper so there will likely be quite a few inconsistency errors here and there.  
> Now without further ado, here’s the latest chapter of our favorite idiotic duo with more power than either of them should have

Chat Noir followed Ladybug for a while, slipping in and out of shadows and trees before he noticed a clearing in the forest. Perhaps that was where she was going?  
Glancing at the fox kit in her arms, Chat Noir winced. It looked miserable. The animal was suffering for longer than it should have, couldn’t she see that? A low, frustrated groan emanated from the back of his throat as he watched her carry the suffering baby through the trees.  
As the Goddess of Life made her way through the greenery, stepping over knitted roots in the ground and somehow slipping through the grasp of nettled bushes, Chat Noir noticed something in the clearing.  
What appeared to be a small cottage, simple but cozy-looking, stood tall in the grassy opening. Sunlight poured onto the wooden shingled roof, displaying a large variety of birds perched and sleeping on branches that seemed to be poking out of the roof. Perhaps he should get a better look...  
Chat Noir stayed in his perch above the goddess of life, and he watched as she stepped out of the woods and into the small field, adjusting her hold on the young fox as she walked around to the other side of the house.  
Chat Noir fixated on a tree across the side of the house she’d turned to, and vanished.  
The moment Chat Noir’s Feet landed on the ivy-choked forest floor and his eyes fell upon the scene before him, he breath nearly hitched.  
Chat Noir, in his centuries of existence, had seen many beautiful things.  
The God of Death had walked the shores of tropical beaches, seen the crystal-clear ocean waves lap at its milky white shores and felt the chilled water rush over his feet and drag the sand out from underneath him, he’d seen palm trees turn black against an evening sky bursting with pinks, purples, and oranges.  
He’d sat in the limbs of an enormous tree in the middle of the jungle’s canopy, seen thousands of paradise birds soar all around him all at once as they fled to higher branches, seen the sunlight radiate through plumage of all colors around him and envelop him in every shade he could think of, as though he were standing in the halls of a great cathedral lined with stained glass windows, depicting the work of the almighty.  
He had seen lovers marry, seen the look of pure love a man could hold in his face for the woman before him as he held her face in his hands, seen the joy in a woman’s face as she gazed into the eyes of her betrothed as she was held up to the eyes of the gods, seen their lives laid out before them as flowers were thrown and families danced together around a bonfire as they drank wine and ate food fit for kings.  
Nothing Death had ever seen, could compare to the sight before him.  
The angelic Goddess of Life, with her ivory cloak and ebony hair flowing gently in the breeze, was making her way up a stone pathway to a truly magnificent farm.  
A tall, cream-colored cottage sat in the middle of the field, standing at about 20 feet high and surrounded by a lush garden. Deep, emerald green ivy engulfed nearly half of the home, leaving space for the eight-foot, wrought iron window above the front door  
To the right of the house, a small drop in the ground held a large pond that glittered between green and blue in the sunlight, reeds and cattails of all kinds hugging the banks. To the right of the home, a large garden danced and swayed in the wind. A couple dozen fruit trees and too many bushes and plants to count grew in messily-organized rows, dotted with flowers and bursts of red strawberries, tomatoes and cherries. Each row was separated by a beaten path that the Goddess of Life must have walked upon for centuries.  
Dozens and dozens of animals roamed the cultivated land, none of them fenced in.  
Birds of all kinds seemed to have made themselves at home on the roof of the cottage, nests dotting the straw leaves, the calls of hungry young chicks faintly reaching Chat Noir’s ears. Strangely enough, he even saw birds of prey perched all along the house. Hawks, owls, falcons, and even what appeared to be a terrifyingly large but alluringly beautiful harpy eagle sat peacefully alongside tiny chickadees and finches. Chat Noir blinked in surprise when he saw a peacock strutting across the grass next to the pond.  
The land around Ladybug’s cottage was larger than Chat Noir had originally thought. It must’ve stretched on for a mile or so before what appeared to be a large hill or cliff drop lay, making room for an absolutely stunning mountain view of 3 glacier-tipped peaks glittering in the distance.  
The fields surrounding Ladybug’s home seemed to be home to too many animals to count. Many off in the distance were too far to recognize, but Chat Noir was still able to spot many of the species that roamed the field. Some were more orthodox, such as small herd of horses, goats scattered here and there, a gaggle of roosters, sleeping oxen, a handful of pigs sunbathing, and a group of around a dozen dogs chasing each other around a more hill-filled area.  
However, Chat Noir was taken aback by the amount of uncommon animals he was able to spot; a family of monkeys were all sat lazily on the side of the house, gazing around sleepily and grooming each other. Three zebras grazed not far from the garden, and there was even a couple of capybaras laying beside the pond, sunbathing alongside a large number of turtles.  
Chat Noir’s heart skipped a couple of beats when, just Ladybug was about to turn the corner of the cottage, a huge tiger appeared from behind the house, along with something huge crawling in the tall grass and leaving indents in the greenery in its wake. Without thinking, he made to run towards her, opening his mouth to yell at her to run, but he clapped a hand to his mouth just in time.  
Ladybug had knelt down, cooing to the tiger who was now gently head-butting the goddess with something that looked almost like a smile on its face.  
Chat Noir let out a heavy, relieved breath, stepping backwards to his previous hiding spot.  
Of course, he thought to himself. Leave it to Ladybug to tame a tiger and a green anaconda of all things.  
The 25-foot long snake had reared its head the slightest bit to touch Ladybug’s extended hand with its enormous snout, and Chat Noir could only stare in incredulity, a disbelieving smile on his face.  
He watched as Ladybug stood up with a final scratch of the tiger’s ear, and reached out to open the cottage door, entering and not bothering to close the door behind her.  
Not a minute later, Ladybug stepped back out of the home holding a small clay jar and some strips of cloth in one hand, now supporting the fox with only one arm. Even from a distance, Chat Noir could hear the young kit’s pained whimpers. The god’s frustration grew a slight bit, hating that the animal was in so much pain. All he wanted to do was take away the pain and lead the little fox onward, was that too much to ask?  
Ladybug walked to the very edge of the large garden, placing the materials in her hand on a large slab of stone underneath a…  
Chat Noir groaned, closing his eyes and clenching his jaw. A willow tree, of all things? How had he not noticed it before? It must’ve been the largest willow he had ever seen, standing at no less than 50 feet.  
His ears pricked when he heard Ladybug begin to speak to the fox kit, though she was far enough away that he couldn’t make out her words.  
Was it wrong for him to be watching her, he wondered? She didn’t know she was being followed, did he have the right to be doing this?  
He waved the thought away a little carelessly, not wanting to think too hard about it. He had to get the fox back from her, it was her own fault that she was interfering with the natural order. The fox was supposed to have gone with him, he had every right to try to take back what was his.  
And besides, it would be nice to see what Ladybug was like when she didn’t know he was there. He of course knew all about her famed kindness and gentle spirit, but he had never experienced it firsthand.  
Ladybug and Chat Noir’s interactions were not pleasant ones, especially in the first hundred years or so. As a young god and goddess, Chat Noir had been a snarky and arrogant character who loved to get under Ladybug’s skin, where as Ladybug herself had been passionate, uptight, and fiercely protective.  
She still was those things, of course, but she had since calmed herself down and had gained control over her own emotions.  
Once they had both grown out of their more childish personalities, when Chat Noir had deflated his head a bit and Ladybug had learned to keep her own composure, their interactions became simple and cold rather than violent and angry.  
Their fellow gods and goddesses, who lived in the holy realm, found great amusement in how poorly the two got along. No, they were no longer getting into small wars or anything, but Ladybug’s usually bright and cheerful demeanor would immediately freeze when the god of death can’t within 100 feet of her.  
“He’s necessary,” the other gods would say, casually brushing off her frustrations. “How else is balance supposed to be kept? Besides, they’re just animals. Who cares?”  
Despite Chat Noir welcoming their attempts to defend him from Ladybug, he would always bite his tongue at comments dismissing the lives of earthly creatures. It’s not as though he didn’t find meaning in their lives, far from it. He greatly appreciated the beauty and shortness of their existence, and he didn’t care for how quickly his fellow gods would dismiss that.  
Neither did Ladybug, apparently. She didn’t listen to any god or goddess who told her to be civil with Chat Noir.  
Only when the ruler of the gods, Le Dieu Étoile, threatened her did she back down and obey.  
After her encounter with the ruler of the gods, Ladybug tolerated Chat Noir. She refused, however, to look him in the eyes or smile at him.  
Chat Noir was always conscious to be kind and respectful to her, but when she showed no interest in reciprocating that respect he would find himself getting frustrated, even if he did understand why she hated him so much.  
The two only ever spoke during meetings, or to discuss practicalities for earthly events such as wars or natural disasters. But because the earth was in a rare state of peace for the time being, they had not spoken in quite a long time.  
Chat Noir studied the willow tree that Ladybug had settled herself under. Due to how old and large the tree was, the lower branches (about ten feet above the stone) were wide enough for, say, a man of Chat Noir’s height and stature to potentially lie against the branch and not be seen from anyone below.  
He had to get that fox back. He had no choice, the animal had already suffered more than it needed to.  
Ladybug had situated herself cross-legged on the stone, the fox on her knee and a strip of white cloth in her hand. He could see her moving her head and hands in a way that indicating she was speaking, but she had unknowingly created enough distance between herself and Chat Noir that he couldn’t hear what she was saying.  
He was gonna do it.  
He had to get the fox back.  
Chat Noir took a deep breath, closing his eyes. This was either going to end very nicely or extremely poorly. Either way, he supposed it wasn’t going to be boring.  
Mumbling to himself about his own stupidity, he focused his gaze on a large, hippopotamus-size branch some ten feet above and slightly to the left of Ladybug.  
He exhaled one last time, clenching his jaw in anticipation for whatever was to come from this.  
Chat Noir screwed his eyes shut, and vanished into the shadows, only opening them when he felt his chest come in contact with the branch beneath him with a soft thud.

Author’s note:  
This was somewhat of a short chapter but I promise you that chapter 8 is gonna be a hell of a lot longer :) Expect an update in about two weeks, thank you for your patience!

**Author's Note:**

> I stayed up til 3am writing this good lord I’m so tired


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